To compete with the hybrid Toyota Yaris, Renault offers a version of its Clio that uses the same principle, combining electric and petrol engines, but with a gearbox inspired by the competition. Enough to be in the running?
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Most. The self-charging hybrid, acceptable performance, very low fuel consumption, well-appointed passenger compartment.
The lesser ones. The banal style, the multimedia system that starts to date, the additional costs.
>>> When we talk hybrid“We are necessarily thinking of Toyota, not too much of Renault, which launched (too) early in the all-electric. Given the success of the hybrid Yaris and the little enthusiasm aroused by the Clio V whose style is just a copy of the previous generation, Renault had the good idea to install hybrid technology in its city car. Labeled E-Tech (catch-all designation as it also concerns 100% electric and rechargeable hybrids), it consists of: the combination of a classic 91 hp petrol engine and an electric motor of 49 hp.
At startup and at low speed, the electricity works until the battery runs outie a few kilometers in the city because the braking phases are charged thanks to the kinetic energy. To understand the principle, put a bottle of water on the passenger seat, apply a good brake: the bottle will roll. It is this rotating movement that creates the flow, with the “bottle” mounted on a shaft. End of class, tomorrow written quiz.
We pinched for the dogs
In concrete terms, on a 200 km route in an urban/peri-urban environment, the Clio drove on 100% electric for a third of the time, for an average consumption of 5.3 litres. It’s a little worse than the Toyota Yarismore efficient with its new-generation hybrid system (75 hp petrol + 61 hp electric), but the French is distinguished by a less odious gearbox.
While Toyota has made significant efforts to mitigate the effects of wheelspin, its CVT gearbox remains slower than modern automatics. On the hybrid Clio, Renault is very proud of its automatic transmission “with dogs”, a technical term that smells like competition, so switch quickly. In reality, this makes operation especially easier. Shifting is smooth, but the absence of paddles behind the wheel made it clear right away that there was no reason to get carried away, especially as the Clio is also available in an LPG version (like the Dacias) with a 100 hp turbo petrol engine, for € 2,250 less and with a 6-speed manual transmission.
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